The need for specialized training programs that are focused on youth mental health needs, awareness of community-based services, and de-escalation skills is growing across law enforcement agencies due to calls for service that involve youth in mental health crisis. The current study evaluates a juvenile mental health training for law enforcement that was developed based on agency needs. The training was completed by 159 officers and a pre-/post-test design was used. Findings suggest that officers were satisfied with the training and improvements were seen across several training constructs (confidence, preparedness, stigma, resource awareness, and de-escalation skills). Satisfaction with the training predicted change in confidence and preparedness. Recommendations for future research and the implementation of juvenile mental health trainings are discussed.
CITATION STYLE
Brady, C. M., & Childs, K. K. (2023). Implementation and evaluation of a juvenile mental health training for law enforcement in a medium-sized jurisdiction. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 41(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2558
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